The global population of Greenland White-fronted Geese in spring 2022 comprised 18027 individuals, down by 10.7% on the 20186 from the previous year, made up of 8289 in Ireland and 9738 in Britain. Numbers here in Wexford fell by 901 (14.3%) to 5361, but this was balanced by an increase of 780 in the rest of Ireland. Reproductive success was among the lowest on record in Ireland at 5.6% first winter birds.
Among Irish wintering geese, the percentage young among aged flocks after the 2021 breeding season was an extraordinarily low 5.6% compared to 6.4% last season. Mean brood size among the Irish flocks was also low at 2.21 compared to 3.24 last season. There were 4.93% young among 2577 aged at Wexford (substantially down on last season’s already very low 6.16%), where the mean brood size was also low at 2.17 (compared to 3.26 last season) based on 54 broods. Elsewhere in Ireland, reproductive success was also very low at 8.91%, with mean brood size 2.42 (compared to 3.0 last season).
